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Kansas City's Home for Innovation NewsTue, 26 Sep 2017 19:20:33 +0000en-UShourly1Made in KC opening two new stores in heart of cityhttp://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/made-kc-opening-new-stores/
http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/made-kc-opening-new-stores/#respondTue, 26 Sep 2017 17:20:01 +0000http://www.startlandnews.com/?p=52427T-shirts are great, Tyler Enders said, but local makers have so much more to offer. Retailer Made in KC is rapidly expanding its footprint across the metro to help Kansas City-based vendors reach an even broader customer base, said Enders, Made in KC co-founder. The company — which carries in its stores everything from locally

]]>T-shirts are great, Tyler Enders said, but local makers have so much more to offer.

Retailer Made in KC is rapidly expanding its footprint across the metro to help Kansas City-based vendors reach an even broader customer base, said Enders, Made in KC co-founder.

The company — which carries in its stores everything from locally made barbecue sauce and candles to coasters, prints and, of course, T-shirts — is opening new locations at 11th Street and Baltimore Avenue downtown, and at 509 E. 18th St. in the Crossroads.

The downtown space is set to debut Dec. 1 with a few features customers might not expect, Enders said. The store is set to include a coffee shop showcasing local roasters in front, and a taproom in back serving all local beers, he said.

“That’s going to be a really fun new venture for us,” Enders said. “It’s an opportunity to learn some new things, get to play host a little bit, and invite people into the space and let them experience Made in KC in a different way.”

It joins the retailer’s existing stores at Briarcliff, Corinth Mall and Prairiefire, as well as 13 locations within Hallmark shops across the metro.

The Crossroads addition is an unexpected retail expansion born of a market with a wide appetite for local products, Enders said.

“We spend a lot of our time here. This is where a lot of the action is,” he said from Made in KC’s new office space, upstairs at the 18th Street property. “We initially had no interest in also putting retail down here because we thought we’d be stepping on the toes of a lot of the brands that are around here.”

“We feel like we’re right in the middle of a lot of friends,” Enders said.

In the process of securing the Crossroads location, Made in KC’s ownership team — which includes Enders and co-owners Thomas McIntyre and Keith Bradley — consistently heard from neighbors that even more retail was needed, he said.

“Fortunately, that just happens to be in our realm,” Enders said.

The space below Made in KC’s offices will be split between its own retail store and a future tenant, he said, noting the Crossroads location’s opening is likely still about three months away.

Maker neighbors

Across 18th Street from what will eventually become Made in KC’s fifth brick-and-mortar location, an existing store owner offered a simple reaction to his new neighbor.

Known for its durable, high-quality leather goods, Sandlot was one of the first of more than 300 brands with which Made in KC now works.

“They have a tagline that they use sometimes: ‘Cultivating Creativity,’” Hickman said of Made in KC. “They find local good brands, and they make large enough orders that, while they won’t completely support a brand, it gives plenty of small brands a jump start. Sandlot would be in a tough spot right now if it wasn’t for the efforts they’ve put in for the past two and a half years.”

“And they’ve never given up on us,” he added.

Unlike some local makers, Sandlot isn’t a heavily “Kansas City-branded” store, Hickman said, with products that could easily attract attention outside the city as well.

“That’s one of the reason why I appreciate Made in KC carrying us so much,” he said. “It would be so easy for them to be a KC pride-only situation. Not a ton of our products scream ‘Kansas City’ in your face anymore. That’s part of the bigger effort that we’re taking on to try to grow this outside of the city.”

The partnership has developed to the point that the Made in KC ownership team has joined forces with Hickman to help sell Sandlot’s goods across the country, he said.

Sandlot is a phenomenal example of a Kansas City maker offering a complete product line with high-quality work and high-volume production, Enders said. It’s an easy fit for Made in KC.

“All those relationships that we have and continue to build have been extremely natural,” he said. “The community is very much about helping each other, lifting each other up, collaboration. There is very little fear of looking over your shoulder at who’s copying. Occasionally we get copycat stuff, but it’s amazing how sensitive people are to it because everyone has this crazy mutual respect where they go out of their way to avoid anything that looks like it’s encroaching on other people’s turf.”

Hickman and Enders should know. One of their earliest conversations was when the Made in KC owners approached Sandlot in 2015 about the retailer’s name: Would it interfere with a popular line of “Made in KC” T-shirts sold by the leather goods store?

“The T-shirt was sort of an afterthought for us,” Hickman said, shrugging off the potential for dispute between brands.

Community marketplace

Not all makers fit the atmosphere or logistics of Made in KC’s physical retail locations as well as a vendor like Sandlot, Enders said.

“Sometimes it’s furniture or bespoke pieces that are outside the price point of our stores, or products that just don’t merchandise well in our shops,” he said, noting the limited capacity of a brick-and-mortar space.

With purchases from hundreds of brands already on-hand in shops or at Made in KC’s fulfillment center, a lot of money is tied up inventory, Enders said. The company simply can’t afford to carry every available line, especially from unproven, early stage makers.

A peer-to-peer Made in KCMarketplace, which launched in May, allows the company to broaden its community-based platform to less-established brands, he said

“Our mission statement from the beginning has been creating a platform for these makers, creators, artists to reach more people,” he said. “And we don’t want to leave anyone behind if we don’t have to.”

Describing the marketplace as being like Etsy, but specific to Kansas City, and cleaner than Craig’s List, Enders said the portal is moderated by Made in KC to make sure vendors maintain requirements set by the company.

“Right now, we get a really steady trickle of purchases, which is great,” he said. “It’s really opened our eyes to certain products that we said no to for our stores. If we realize they’re doing really well in the marketplace, we bring them in.”

“We think it will become a really robust marketplace for people to find one-off, unique items,” he added.

Outlasting the trends

It’s difficult to deny a spike in interest for all things Kansas City since the Royals’ 2014 and 2015 World Series runs. They’ve helped makers across the metro explode into the mainstream, co-owner Bradley said.

“Anytime we travel, we hear Kansas City’s name pop up more and more. … People know that something exciting is going on here,” he said. “The enthusiasm built up by Kansas Citians has kind of infected the rest of the country in some very positive ways. We’ve rode that wave for a while, but our real strength is in the quality of products that are being made and becoming everyday goods for Kansas Citians.”

Acknowledging the World Series championship has been a significant catalyst for success, Enders agreed Made in KC must be mindful of deliberately steering the company’s own future, rather than letting it be tied solely to trends they can’t control.

“Kansas City has a lot of unique attributes that make people very proud to call it home, and I think that will continue over time. But if that diminishes, we have to figure out other ways to maintain and serve our purpose,” he said.

One such tactic is expanding Made in KC from largely “giftables” to offering more “consumables” — training customers to return to their shops for such items as liquid hand soap or daily face scrub, Enders said.

“We want them to ask: ‘How can I replace everyday, ordinary purposes with products made here?’” he said. “Those little changes all of the sudden get someone into the routine of buying something local all the time.”

It’s another way for the Made in KC team to help its partners in the maker community grow stronger, Bradley added.

“We’ve seen quite a few of them turn what was their passion project into a part-time job, into a full-time job,” he said. “Seeing that develop in the short time that we’ve been developing as a company has been really special.”

]]>http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/made-kc-opening-new-stores/feed/0Digital Sandbox adds two startups to Independence programhttp://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/digital-sandbox-adds-two-startups-to-independence-program/
http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/digital-sandbox-adds-two-startups-to-independence-program/#respondTue, 26 Sep 2017 18:32:11 +0000http://www.startlandnews.com/?p=52437Digital Sandbox KC announced Tuesday that it selected Drones4Hire and Hidden Abilities for its Independence, Missouri program. In addition to up to $20,000 in project development funds via Digital Sandbox, the program gives the startups access to workspace at WerksLab and business support via the Ennovation Center, a business incubator located in Independence. Drones4Hire’s platform

]]>Digital Sandbox KC announced Tuesday that it selected Drones4Hire and Hidden Abilities for its Independence, Missouri program.

In addition to up to $20,000 in project development funds via Digital Sandbox, the program gives the startups access to workspace at WerksLab and business support via the Ennovation Center, a business incubator located in Independence.

Drones4Hire’s platform facilitates the request of drone pilots for businesses and individuals. The funding from Digital Sandbox will help the startup further accelerate, said Drones4Hire CEO Cory Mullins.

“The co-working space and support at the Ennovation Center will be a fantastic resource as we expand our company’s platforms to provide a truly exceptional drone hiring service for our client,” said Mullins in a release.

Hidden Abilities — which was selected as a finalist for the LaunchKC grant competition — developed a handheld device for those with dyslexia called the Read ‘n Style pen. The tool scans text and reads it aloud, turning any book into an audiobook.

“This grant from the Sandbox is a tremendous boost for Hidden Abilities,” Hidden Abilities co-founder Payden Miller said in a release. “With funding from the Sandbox and help from the experts at the Ennovation Center, we’ll be able to start building an intellectual property portfolio that will protect our invention and add great value to our company. We are so grateful for this support.”

“The partnership with Independence is doing exactly what we’d hoped it would,” said Shackelford in a release. “We are continuing to feed the funnel and drive both the quality and quantity of entrepreneurs entering the market. In a short time, we’ve found three high-growth Independence businesses to support and I know there are many more to come.”

Since its launched in 2013, Digital Sandbox has worked with more than 350 entrepreneurs and early-stage companies, creating more than 480 jobs and $12 million in payroll. In addition, the program has led to nearly $38.2 million in follow-on funding.

The partnership with Digital Sandbox is great for Independence, said Lee Langerock, executive director of the Ennovation Center.

“The Independence EDC is pleased to work with Hidden Abilities and Drones4Hire and help the founders take their ideas to market,” Langerock said in a release. “Both companies are great iNtech growth program clients and with the help of our experts, will have the support and resources needed to realize their business goals. We appreciate the investment that the Sandbox Independence program is making in these early-stage, technology companies.”

]]>http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/digital-sandbox-adds-two-startups-to-independence-program/feed/0Food delivery service UberEATS launches in Kansas Cityhttp://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/food-delivery-service-ubereats-launches-kansas-city/
http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/food-delivery-service-ubereats-launches-kansas-city/#respondTue, 26 Sep 2017 18:33:13 +0000http://www.startlandnews.com/?p=52438Ride-hailing service Uber announced Tuesday that it’s launched its food delivery service in the Kansas City area. UberEATS — a standalone app offered by Uber — allows users to order food from more than 70 Kansas City restaurants, including BRGR Kitchen + Bar, The Bite, Dixon’s Chili, Taco Republic, Smokey’s on the Boulevard and others.

]]>Ride-hailing service Uber announced Tuesday that it’s launched its food delivery service in the Kansas City area. UberEATS — a standalone app offered by Uber — allows users to order food from more than 70 Kansas City restaurants, including BRGR Kitchen + Bar, The Bite, Dixon’s Chili, Taco Republic, Smokey’s on the Boulevard and others. Kansas City is the first city in Missouri and Kansas to land the service.

“The UberEATS app allows users to order food delivery whenever they get a craving, with full menus available from over 70 of the top restaurants in Kansas City,” Aaron Emrich, General Manager for UberEATS Missouri, said in a release. “We’re thrilled to launch today in Kansas City – our first city in both Missouri and Kansas – to connect local residents and visitors with new, tasty options, expand earning opportunities for driver-partners and help local restaurant owners expand the reach of their business.”

The UberEATS iOS and Android app are free to download. Users also can order food via UberEATS.com.UberEATS competes directly with such services as GrubHub and Postmates, which launched in Kansas City in 2015. UberEATS launched in 2015 as UberFresh. The service reportedly has found success in the more than 100 cities in which it operates. As of the first quarter of 2017, it had more than 8 million active users in the U.S. alone. As of the first quarter of 2017, UberEATS had more than 8 million active users in the United States, according to Eater.The company is offering a discount code “TRYEATSKC” to get two free deliveries with UberEATS from now until Oct. 31.

]]>http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/food-delivery-service-ubereats-launches-kansas-city/feed/0UMKC and Rockhurst HS team up to add entrepreneurial thinking to curriculumhttp://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/umkc-and-rockhurst-hs-team-up-to-add-entrepreneurial-thinking-to-curriculum/
http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/umkc-and-rockhurst-hs-team-up-to-add-entrepreneurial-thinking-to-curriculum/#respondTue, 26 Sep 2017 18:10:09 +0000http://www.startlandnews.com/?p=52435Although education innovation continues to grow in Kansas City, there is a visible gap between the “school world” and the “real world,” said Greg Owsley. “The school world and real world shouldn’t be separate entities — they should be connected,” said Owsley, STEAM director at Rockhurst High School. “It’s a very exciting time to be

]]>Although education innovation continues to grow in Kansas City, there is a visible gap between the “school world” and the “real world,” said Greg Owsley.

“The school world and real world shouldn’t be separate entities — they should be connected,” said Owsley, STEAM director at Rockhurst High School. “It’s a very exciting time to be in the education space in Kansas City right now and what we’re trying to do is take a traditional school that’s been successful for more than 100 years and innovate from within, providing a model for other schools.”

The class — Entrepreneurship for Others — is a revamped version of the popular Ice House Entrepreneurship program for adults. It’s available as an elective for Rockhurst juniors and seniors and is taught by the development center’s Rebecca Gubbels.

Rebecca Gubbels

“At Rockhurst, we want to ultimately challenge students to create solutions to solve problems and improve the community,” Owsley said. “The Entrepreneurship for Others class is just one piece of a larger education innovation movement happening within Rockhurst.”

Rockhurst is the only high school in Kansas and Missouri to require computer science classes for all its students, Owsley said, adding that the addition of entrepreneurship curriculum was a natural step.

Launched in August, the class marks the first time the Small Business & Technology Development Center has provided curriculum for a high school and it won’t be its last, said Gubbels, business and program development consultant at the center.

“We are tasked to help businesses in Missouri start and grow — and there is no age limit on when you can start and grow,” Gubbels said. “Most of what we do is for community facing entrepreneurs, but we thinking working with partner organizations like Rockhurst is a great flagship project and we want to establish similar partnerships with other schools moving forward.”

The Ice House Entrepreneurship training curriculum teaches entrepreneurial mindset, a skill that is applicable for all students, Gubbels said.

“The curriculum is incredibly important for high school students because it is about purpose-driven lives and solving problems for others,” she said. “Whether that be for an entrepreneurial purpose or an employee related purpose, it’s still important to learn how to solve problems.”

Such a mindset fits with Rockhurst’s values, Owsley said.

“Our motto is forming men with and for others,” he said. “The value this class brings is it gets the students out into the world, allows them to collaborate with one another, connect with potential customers, do research, get out into the world and develop empathy.”

The class will tap into Rockhurst’s large alumni network, bringing in graduates as mentors. At the end of the semester, the students will pitch a solution to a problem they’ve worked to solve to a public-facing audience.

“We wanted to keep it broad,” Owsley said. “They may pitch a solution, or they may realize there already is a solution that exists or that there isn’t a problem after all. It’s more about the process of solving a problem than what the solution looks like.”

While Gubbels is teaching the students this semester, she will train Rockhurst faculty to instruct the class moving forward.

“There is a lot going on in education innovation in Kansas City. It’s remarkable and we’re glad to be a part of it,” Gubbels said. “Entrepreneurship gives you a way to approach the world that is utilitarian and therefore purposeful, we’re thankful to offer a foundational piece of that mindset to students.”

Part of the UMKC Innovation Center, the Small Business & Technology Development Center provides technical assistance to startup and second stage business through training and one-on-one consulting. It is also part of a nationwide network of the center’s programs.

]]>http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/umkc-and-rockhurst-hs-team-up-to-add-entrepreneurial-thinking-to-curriculum/feed/0Video: Made in KC expands footprint, mission to cultivate creativityhttp://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/video-made-kc-expands-footprint-mission-cultivate-creativity/
http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/video-made-kc-expands-footprint-mission-cultivate-creativity/#respondTue, 26 Sep 2017 17:03:27 +0000http://www.startlandnews.com/?p=52425Made in KC — which carries in its stores everything from locally made barbecue sauce and candles to coasters, prints and T-shirts — is opening new locations at 11th Street and Baltimore Avenue downtown, and at 509 E. 18th St. in the Crossroads. The downtown space is set to debut Dec. 1 with a few features

]]>Made in KC — which carries in its stores everything from locally made barbecue sauce and candles to coasters, prints and T-shirts — is opening new locations at 11th Street and Baltimore Avenue downtown, and at 509 E. 18th St. in the Crossroads.

The downtown space is set to debut Dec. 1 with a few features customers might not expect, said Tyler Enders, a co-owner of the business. The store will include a coffee shop showcasing local roasters in front, and a taproom in the back serving all local beers, he said.

A peer-to-peer Made in KC Marketplace, which launched in May, allows the company to broaden its community-based platform to less-established brands, he said. Describing the marketplace as being like Etsy, but specific to Kansas City, and cleaner than Craig’s List, Enders said the portal is moderated by Made in KC to make sure vendors maintain requirements set by the company.

“Right now, we get a really steady trickle of purchases, which is great,” he said. “It’s really opened our eyes to certain products that we said no to for our stores. If we realize they’re doing really well in the marketplace, we bring them in.”

]]>http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/video-made-kc-expands-footprint-mission-cultivate-creativity/feed/0KCSourceLink earns international economic development awardhttp://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/kcsourcelink-earns-international-economic-development-award/
http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/kcsourcelink-earns-international-economic-development-award/#respondTue, 26 Sep 2017 14:01:14 +0000http://www.startlandnews.com/?p=52410An area entrepreneur support organization was recognized on an international stage thanks to its research on the Kansas City metro. KCSourceLink’s annual We Create KC report won the Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award at the International Economic Development Council on Sept. 19. The report tracks metrics associated with the health of the Kansas City

]]>An area entrepreneur support organization was recognized on an international stage thanks to its research on the Kansas City metro.

KCSourceLink’s annual We Create KC report won the Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award at the International Economic Development Council on Sept. 19. The report tracks metrics associated with the health of the Kansas City area’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, analyzing data with business growth, access to venture capital, job creation and more.

Held in Toronto, Canada, the conference garnered more than 1,300 attendees, 600 award applications and 34 award winners.

Sharing the KCSourceLink model with other economic development professionals was a great opportunity for the organization, said Sarah Mote, marketing director at KCSourceLink.

“Not only did this award recognize entrepreneurship in general, it also has Kansas City recognized as a global, leading mover in measuring entrepreneurship,” Mote said. “We’ve all worked super hard to make that happen – all of our 250 resource partners. It’s a big deal and we’re super excited.”

“Being able to quantify our progress and measure it is a really big deal for us,” Mote said. “Even if we aren’t the most entrepreneurial city yet, the metrics are now are creating a path that is going to let us know when we get there, which is pretty huge. … I certainly hope this report can serve as a model for other communities.”

KCSourceLink’s tools measure entrepreneurial ecosystems via the Resource Navigator, Biz-Trakker and others, Mote said. She added that winning the Gold Excellence award didn’t just put Kansas City on the map, but validated the entire network of SourceLink organizations around the nation.

Rob Williams, director of SourceLink, agreed.

“At SourceLink, we’ve created that methodology to help communities like Kansas City benchmark, inspire and empower entrepreneurship and remind leaders why entrepreneurship should be a priority,” Williams said. “To have that recognized at an international conference of economic developers is validation that KC is not only on the right track, but that we are a pioneer in building entrepreneurial infrastructures.”

“We Create KC is a unique annual report because it measures the entrepreneurial ecosystem itself,” Williams added. “It tells the story of KC entrepreneurship — of the risk takers and idea makers and also the story of how powerful collaborations can create culture and drive significant economic impact.”

KCSourceLink is an affiliate of the national SourceLink organization, born out of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

To read more about the 2017 We Create KC report’s findings, click here.

]]>http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/kcsourcelink-earns-international-economic-development-award/feed/0RiskGenius CEO named Entrepreneur of the Year at insurance symposiumhttp://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/riskgenius-ceo-named-entrepreneur-of-the-year-at-insurance-symposium/
http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/riskgenius-ceo-named-entrepreneur-of-the-year-at-insurance-symposium/#respondTue, 26 Sep 2017 15:48:17 +0000http://www.startlandnews.com/?p=52419Innovation in the insurance industry is lagging behind other sectors, but it’s quickly catching up, Chris Cheatham said. “Billions of dollars are now being invested in insurtechs, or new insurance technology solutions,” said Cheatham, CEO and co-founder of RiskGenius. “I think will see a lot more machine learning used to plow through all of the

“Billions of dollars are now being invested in insurtechs, or new insurance technology solutions,” said Cheatham, CEO and co-founder of RiskGenius. “I think will see a lot more machine learning used to plow through all of the data that insurance companies accumulate.”

This month, Cheatham was recognized by the growing insurtech industry at the annual Entrepreneurial Insurance Symposium, nabbing the title of Entrepreneur of the Year.

“Winning the award was validation that we have found a problem worth solving and that we are on the right path,” Cheatham said.

RiskGenius — previously known as ClaimKit — grew from an initial concept focused on improving insurance claim documentation to now an artificial intelligence platform for policy automation. The firm was recently named an under-the-radar startup by Startland News.

Organized by the Entrepreneur Insurance Alliance, the Dallas conference at which Cheatham was honored attracted more than 300 attendees — including C-level insurance executives, private equity firms, agents and brokers. Entrepreneur Insurance Alliance is an organization that provides such resources to insurance entrepreneurs as capital access, administrative services, software implementation and worldwide distribution.

After being recognized by the insurance alliance as one of the top five finalists, Cheatham went head-to-head with four other companies via a pitch competition at the symposium. Each finalist had 10 minutes to pitch their business to a panel of insurance executives.

Winning Entrepreneur of the Year has brought exposure to the firm, with seven interested potential RiskGenius clients reaching out to Cheatham immediately following the conference, he said.

“We are just really excited for the future,” Cheatham said. “We could not have gotten to where we are without our early customers and supporters.”

Following careers with surety companies and litigating insurance claims, RiskGenius was co-founded in 2012 by Cheatham and Doug Reiser, who set out to tackle the mountains of messy paperwork with collecting, organizing and delivering insurance claims.

]]>http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/riskgenius-ceo-named-entrepreneur-of-the-year-at-insurance-symposium/feed/0Events Preview: How to pitch to the Sandbox, KU Big Data workshophttp://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/events-preview-how-to-pitch-to-the-sandbox-ku-big-data-workshop/
http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/events-preview-how-to-pitch-to-the-sandbox-ku-big-data-workshop/#respondMon, 25 Sep 2017 14:29:25 +0000http://www.startlandnews.com/?p=52401There are a plethora of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter, or curious community member — we recommend these upcoming events for you. Are you hosting a relevant community event? Add it to the KCSourceLink Calendar for increased exposure. Email info@kcsourcelink.com for assistance. Bloch Ideation

]]>There are a plethora of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter, or curious community member — we recommend these upcoming events for you.

Are you hosting a relevant community event? Add it to the KCSourceLink Calendar for increased exposure. Email info@kcsourcelink.com for assistance.

Bloch Ideation DayWhen: Sept. 26, 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.Where: Bloch Venture Hub
Have an idea for a business or product? Maybe you’re only halfway to one?
We’re here to help you develop it the rest of the way!
Join our instructors and fellow entrepreneurs at the Bloch Venture Hub at 4328 Madison Ave. on Tuesday, September 26th from 4-6pm and we will help you develop and focus your idea, and show you how to determine and even enhance it’s feasibility and marketability. We can then show you some next steps to take, with our help or on your own.Don’t let your good idea (or even part of one) go to waste!

The failure rates of hiring predictability and what can we do to improve our odds

Practical ways we can do a better job in defining job requirements, and select candidates who will be most happy and successful doing that job

The Founder Series: Lean GrowthWhen: Sept. 27, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.Where: Village Square Coworking
The Founder Series addresses legal and operational issues commonly faced by startup founders, from the process of finding and working with co-founders to strategies to protect your intellectual property.
This ECJC workshop series is presented in partnership with Village Square, Located in the heart of the Kansas City Startup Village, Village Square is a coworking space that offers entrepreneurs and startups a place to call home.

How to Pitch to the SandboxWhen: Sept. 27, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Where: UMKC Innovation CenterJeff Shackelford, director of Digital Sandbox KC, will walk you through the process of applying for and pitching to the Sandbox decision makers. After this session, you’ll know how to make the most effective presentation for funding support from Digital Sandbox KC and increase your chance for funding approval.Admission is FREE but registration is required.

KU Big Data WorkshopWhen: Sept. 29, 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 b.m.
Where: KU Edwards Campus
In response to the Kansas City workforce’s development needs, more Big Data programming from KU is coming to the metro area. In September and October 2017, KUPCE is offering the third three-part Big Data for Managers and Decision Makers workshop, designed for mid-level managers with little-to-no data science expertise.
You’ll learn the basics of Big Data in order to make key organizational decisions, assess whether you need a data management team—and, if you do, how get the most out of it—and much more.Presenter: Piero Ferrante

The Intersection of Data Science and Big Data

The data science lifecycle.

Vertical case studies in business outcomes.

Hypothesis testing and iterative exploration with Big Data.

Signal detection with unstructured data sets.

Monetizing data: zero to insights.

Constraints and Limitations of Big Data

Pitfalls of analytics and Big Data.

Challenges and Barriers: technical and adaptive.

Group rates available for organizations interested in enrolling 2 or more staff in this workshop. Contact ProfessionalPrograms@ku.edu to inquire about getting the group rate.

Ongoing events

Don’t miss out on the events that happen every week at the same time, in the same place.

Regnier Institute First WednesdayWhen: Oct. 3, 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.Where:UMKC Bloch Executive Hall Room 218The First Wednesdays Speaker Series & Networking Event takes place every first Wednesday of the month during the academic year. Hosted at UMKC Bloch Executive Hall, Room 218 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
October’s event will feature the “Ventures Gaining Traction” panel. Come to learn from past and present Entrepreneurship Scholars who have found their footing.

Presenters: Panelists from Integrated Roadways, By Grace Designs and Strange Days Brewery

The events are free, open to the public and end in pizza and networking.

Startup RewindWhen: Oct. 4, 7: 45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.Where: Deer Creek Country Club
Startup Rewind gives local entrepreneurs a venue to pitch their idea followed by questions and feedback from the audience. This valuable feedback will help encourage and grow their ideas and in turn build a better community through business and entrepreneurship. Come join us for some great ideas and out of the box thinking. The goal is to get the word out about new companies and ideas, while gaining feedback from the community of business leaders and other entrepreneurs. This format will help foster business networking and encourage those entrepreneurs who are creating tomorrows big ideas. The Startup Rewind takes presentations made at other entrepreneurial events from the Startup scene in Kansas City and replays them again. This gives them another chance to get themselves in front of more people who may have missed it the first time around, thus the name Startup Rewind. Startup Rewind meets once monthly on the first Wednesday of the month at Deer Creek Country Club from 7:15am to 8:30am. The event is hosted and sponsored by the Overland Park South Rotary Club.

WeWork Corrigan Station Grand Opening PartyWhen: Oct. 6, 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.Where: WeWork Corrigan Station
Don’t miss live art curated by local artists, the ultimate in craft cocktails and local breweries, bites provided by incredible culinary experts, live music & more. Trust us, this is one stop at First Fridays you won’t want to miss.

Earlier this month, Plexpod announced another development to feed entrepreneurs: a new partnership with the Sundry. The sustainable food joint is expected move to Plexpod Westport Commons in late September, leaving its Crossroads Arts District location. In the coming year, the Sundry will expand into all other Plexpod locations, Smith said.

The partnership aims to bring a “community feel” to the space, Smith said. While Plexpod members will enjoy access to the Sundry as an on-site food provider, the restaurant remains open to the public.

“The Sundry partnership fits with what our model has always been about,” Smith said. “It will further our community impact.”

Startland sat down with Smith to learn more about what drives him to build community in Kansas City.

Twitter handle: @GeraldSmith

Hometown: Southern Louisiana out in the country, near Lafayette.

Favorite drink: A Malbec.

A startup idea you don’t mind if readers steal: When I think about wearable technologies and Internet of Things, I think in terms of the ability to record and track and entire life. What if you could rewind anything, hear any conversation again, reference your surroundings? That technology is already there. Someone needs to create a technology that captures a life, which I think would be a very valuable tool.

A historical figure you’d like to have coffee with and why: Chet Atkins. (A guitar player and songwriter who created the country music style known as the Nashville sound).

Weirdest thing you’ve eaten: I’ve been to 100 countries, so I’ve eaten a lot of weird stuff. When I went to Northern Thailand there is some kind of grub worm wrapped in banana leaves with rice and beans and stuff. That’s probably the strangest thing.

The animal you’d want to become in your next life: What’s a wise animal? I grew up in the country, so owls bother me. … I guess giraffes. My daughter has always liked giraffes, so I’ve paid attention to them and they’re really intriguing.

You’re up to bat for the Royals, what’s your walk-up song: That’s a tough one, you’re talking to a musician here. It would be something by Boston, because it would have to be a power song. Our kids always rocked to Boston growing up, so that’s the first thing that comes to mind.

KC’s biggest area for improvement: At a human level, it’s points of connection. People need to know people. What if wealth was measured in how many faces that you’ve seen and people you’ve talked to? Connections are important both for the underserved and the overserved, it’s the underprivileged and the too privileged. There’s a lot of balancing with that but a lot of that can be solved by personal interaction. But there is no perfect answer. … There are people in our community that are the poorest of the poor and we need to pay more attention to that, by doing tangible things to reach the underserved. We can’t just talk about it and we can’t just pray for them, we’ve got to do something. One thing I’ve had to do is admit my ignorance and reach out to people who were not like me who could better shape my thinking through human connection. Connecting people sets the stage for a much better conversation in society.

Favorite food joint in KC: Home-cooked cajun food by my wife.

An influential book in your life: There are so many books. Really into self-improvement and thought leadership, I can’t choose. I love and admire all the Seth Godin’s of the world, Malcolm Gladwell was also very influential. I love all of that stuff.

What keeps you in Kansas City: I go all around the world and tell people that Kansas City is the best city in the United States because you can get to every place from here. We really are the center of the universe and our access globally is equal. We can go to Tokyo about as easily as we could go to London. To me, Kansas City is this well-kept secret. If I could change anything about this place I would add an ocean. Everything else about it is perfection.

New technology that you’re most excited about: I’ve always wished anti-gravity technology would come to pass in my lifetime. I’ve always lived by the idea that if you could imagine it then it’s possible so there are some big things that I imagine. I think some of the technologies that bring together the digital and the organic and things like that are really exciting so we can move away from archaic medicine and move into preventative things, for example.

What pisses you off: For lack of a better word,Internet trolls. I’ve been beaten up by strangers in my life and I think if anything pisses me off it’s a faceless voice.

Favorite KC organization or brand: The people who are setting an example globally for Kansas City entrepreneurship. The organizations that are figuring out that the days of siloing are over, like the Kansas City Startup Foundation.

What you hope you’re remembered for: That answer has changed two or three times in my life but for now, number one is I would like for people to talk about my family. Family is the most important business we have. If there’s only one conversation to be had, I’d like to be thought about as a father and a husband. Number two would be traits hopefully people have seen as me like compassionate. There are certain things in life that grow through the years that become more significant to you, being caring and compassionate are some of those things. In my 20s I was so egotistical and success focused but today that’s different.

Biggest failure: My biggest failure was in business and it was not recognizing early on the power of connections and relationships. I was so focused on building something myself. But today everything that I build has multiple people at the table, I’m not alone in this. The biggest mistake I’ve made was not realizing that sooner — the power of community.

You can’t invest or save it — how would you spend $1 million: Charity. I’m at the stage of life where I don’t need another adventure, I’ve had more than most. I’d like to identify and get behind somebody else who’s doing something well. I would identify what I am passionate about and go to those who are doing that well and use that million dollars to support them and I would spread the love.

Man crush: I’ve had a lot of man crushes, it always changes, but right now it’s Bob Berkebile. He’s the oldest millennial I’ve ever met. He’s probably the most forward-thinking person but yet has had such a fulfilling career and life. His accomplishments, impact … he is somebody that I so admire and everytime I see him he lifts my spirits. I want to be that kind of person, too.

Woman crush: My partner Dianna. She is an extraordinary person and I’m incredibly fortunate to have such a great life partner.

Your mantra or motto: What’s the distance between my present state and change? I don’t know if that’s a motto but it’s a life statement that keeps me focused on change.

Joining the team alongside Techstars CEO David Cohen, Kansas Citian Keith Harrington, who’s the managing director for Novel Growth Partners, and Brian McClendon, former Uber vice president of maps, Tom Ball is expected to bring his Austin-based investor experience to Firebrand Ventures.

Tom Ball

Cultivating a rockstar team of advisors is paramount to a fund’s success, said John Fein, managing director of Firebrand Ventures.

“Tom is going to be another important piece for Firebrand,” he said. “For one, he’s our first advisor based in Austin. It will be great to keep in touch with the startups that are doing well in that community.”

Fein was introduced to Ball — co-founder of Next Coast Ventures — via the Techstars network, with which Fein was previously employed. He was attracted to Ball’s 20-year work history.

“His experience as an entrepreneur and early-stage investor gives us another set of eyes and ears on the deals that we’re looking at,” Fein said. “Being able to draw from my advisors’ experience is amazing. Together, they’ve helped me evaluate every aspect, such as product, technology, market, and team. … The value they add to Firebrand is huge.”

Firebrand Ventures launched in 2016 to fill the need for venture capital, not only in Kansas City, but in the Midwest as a whole. Fein defines the greater Midwest as the area between San Antonio to Minneapolis and Boulder, Colorado to Columbus, Ohio.

“It’s hard to believe a year has already flown by,” he said. “I started Firebrand because back when I was running the Sprint Accelerator program (powered by Techstars), for the first two years (2014 and 2015) we didn’t have any teams from the program that were able to raise local money. I found that very odd. These companies were very fundable.”

The Firebrand Ventures fund will invest $7 million in about 30 Midwest startups through the next three years, Fein said, with an average check size of $150,000. The fund’s portfolio currently includes seven companies. Fein said he expects to add about four more companies by the end of 2017.

“Of course, since I am here, I would love it if we could invest in more Kansas City companies,” Fein said. “But as a fund, we’re going to go out there and invest in as many exceptional Midwestern founders as we can, no matter where they are located.”

“The cycle of a startup ecosystem is generally 15 to 20 years and Boulder and Austin are much farther along than Kansas City at this point,” Fein said. “However, I am really pleased with how Kansas City has been coming along the past 12 to 18 months. I’ve seen many startups about two to three years old gaining some real traction and results here. I can’t wait to be able to invest in more of Kansas City’s exceptional founders.”

He added that Kansas City’s startup community needs improvement in two areas: available capital and corporate engagement. Fein said that Midwestern culture is partially to blame, alleviating the problem by making an effort to be proactive and accessible.

“I’m always checking my email to whoever reaches out to me,” Fein said. “What gets me out of bed in the morning is meeting great founders. I just love spending time with awesome founders who inspire me so much on a weekly basis. My job is incredible.”

Firebrand Ventures is expected to hire an associate later this year. As the fund and the team continues to grow, Fein aims to be as helpful to the community as possible, he said. In January, Fein shared with Startland readers tips to hooking a venture capitalist.